An Open, Casual California Home

In order to make the large, open rooms of a northern California home more livable, designer Myra Hoefer's idea was to choose a white, monochromatic palette and mix in lots of texture. The result? An effortless blend of West Coast ease and French elegance.

A Light-Filled Living Room

A Light-Filled Living Room

The bay window—a focal point in this Northern California living room—seemed to call for furniture arranged according to classical ideas of symmetry. But designer Myra Hoefer breaks up the pairs with different Brancusi-esque side tables, from West Elm, for more interest. She had the antique claw-foot coffee table and the pedestals for the vintage French torchères lacquered in white to match. The 13-foot sofa is slipcovered in Romo Esina linen; the Louis XV—style chairs are covered in Summer Hill's La Donna.

A Soft and Subtle Palette

A Soft and Subtle Palette

A monochromatic palette works best when there are lots of textures to catch the eye, like the Pipa cocktail tables in cast resin by Oly, with their filigree effect. Hoefer prefers lamps to overhead lights and does them with "huge lampshades that give you a sense of the moon." Custom tufted sofas covered in Rogers & Goffigon's Somerset linen, in Marble. Bora Bora jute rug from Merida Meridian.